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LOT 2402
African Wooden Ancestor Figure
YORUBA TRIBE, 20TH CENTURY A.D.
17 1/2 in. (600 grams, 44.5 cm).
A hand-carved standing female figure with hands placed by the side and scarification to the face, breasts and stomach. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Southwest Nigeria, West Africa.
From an old Bristol, UK, ethnographical collection.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Human figures are represented in a fundamentally naturalistic way, except for bulging eyes; flat, protruding, and usually parallel lips; and stylised ears. Within the basic canon of Yoruba sculpture, many local styles can be distinguished, down to the hand of the individual artist.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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African Brass Manilla Slave Bracelet
Okombo Tribe, late 19th-early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Penannular in form, comprising rectangular polyhedral blocks with ring-and-dot ornament, spiral form to the arms. 244 grams, 87 mm
From Nigeria, West Africa. From an old Derby, UK, specialist collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Once a form of currency for West African peoples, manillas became one of the main currencies of choice during the slave trade to the Americas. Their usage during this time in history was of such prevalence that they were often referred to as “slave trade money.” Provenance: Private Derby Oriental Collection. The Manilla is in very good condition and measures 105mm wide and weighs about 250gms. Manillas are typically horseshoe-shaped with flared ends and often decorated with balls on each end. Africans from each region had names for each variety of manilla and were very particular about the types they would accept. They valued the Manillas by the sound they made when struck and used them as the dominant form of currency for many things including everyday market purchases, bride price and burials. The main purpose of the manilla – the trading and purchase of slaves- fostered a system where the incoming voyage of Europeans took manillas to West Africa to obtain slaves, who were then taken to the Americas. The price of a slave valued in manillas varied depending on the time, place and type being offered. -
African Ashanti Bronze Figural Gold Weight Collection
Akan Tribe, 19th-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Group of three workmen in active poses with handtools. 202 grams total, 51-84 mm
From an old Oxford, UK, collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
Marka, early-mid 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Hollow-formed carved mask with heavy brow, small square eye-holes flanking a triangular-section nose, narrow lower face with tassels. 862 grams, 34.5 cm
From Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, West Africa. Private Hampshire, UK, collection of tribal art; acquired in the 1960s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
The Marka are a Mande subgroup. This ethnic group is independent from the Bambara but their styles show a strong Bambara influence. The Marka are famous for their masks and puppets. Similar to Bambara's ntomo society masks, Marka masks are generally carved with horns, comb or crest on top of the head, but unlike Bambara masks they are often covered with metal sheeting.
